Mavericks clinch dramatic 117-116 win to eliminate Thunder

P.J. Washington’s clutch free throws with 2.5 seconds left propelled the Dallas Mavericks to a thrilling 117-116 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder, securing their spot in the Western Conference finals for the second time in three seasons.

Washington was fouled while attempting a 3-pointer and intentionally missed the third free throw to prevent the Thunder, who were out of timeouts, from setting up a final shot. Jalen Williams’ desperate 64-foot heave as time expired missed the basket, eliminating top-seeded Oklahoma City in Game 6 of their second-round playoff series.

Luka Doncic led the Mavericks with a triple-double, recording 29 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. Kyrie Irving and Derrick Jones Jr. each contributed 22 points, while Dereck Lively II added a strong performance off the bench with 12 points and 15 rebounds. Daniel Gafford also chipped in 10 points.

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For the Thunder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a game-high 36 points and dished out eight assists. Williams contributed 22 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists, and Chet Holmgren added 21 points.

The Mavericks will now face either the Denver Nuggets or the Minnesota Timberwolves in the conference finals.